IEnova head takes helm in reworked Mexico unit
US energy infrastructure company Sempra appointed Tania Ortiz as president of Sempra Infrastructure in Mexico following a consolidation of the IEnova and Sempra's LNG divisions.
Ortiz, currently director of IEnova, will also serve as president of the newly consolidated company's clean energy group as well as heading up the electricity, gas transport and distribution and fuels storage terminals business in North America, Sempra Infrastructure said today.
The consolidation brings together IEnova's gas and power operations in Mexico with Sempra LNG's operations in Mexico and the US.
The move comes as LNG, fuel storage and other energy projects in Mexico have faced uncertainty over political support, permitting and regulations. Yet it also follows IEnova taking a final investment decision in 2020 to move forward with its 3.25mn t/yr Energia Costa Azul (ECA) LNG export terminal and starting operations at its 2.1mn bl fuel storage terminal in Veracruz, Mexico.
Ortiz has called on the current administration to focus more on clean energy, and talks over a community dispute hindering the start of IEnova's 510mn cf/d Guyamas-El Oro natural gas pipeline are dragging.
Justin Bird, currently director of Sempra LNG, will serve as chief executive of Sempra Infrastructure and the company will be listed on both the Mexican and New York stock exchanges.
The company operates more than 1,500MW of clean energy, 7,000km of natural gas pipelines and 12mn t/yr of natural gas liquefaction across the US and Mexico, including the Energia Costa Azul plant that will be converted to an LNG export project.
Related news posts
US economic growth slows to 1.6pc in 1Q
US economic growth slows to 1.6pc in 1Q
Houston, 25 April (Argus) — The US economy in the first quarter grew at a 1.6pc annual pace, slower than expected, while a key measure of inflation accelerated. Growth in gross domestic product (GDP) slowed from a 3.4pc annual rate in the fourth quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported on Thursday. The first-quarter growth number, the first of three estimates for the period, compares with analyst forecasts of about a 2.5pc gain. Personal consumption slowed to a 2.5pc annual rate in the first quarter from a 3.3pc pace in the fourth quarter, partly reflecting lower spending on motor vehicles and gasoline and other energy goods. Gross private domestic investment rose by 3.2pc, with residential spending up 13.9pc after a 2.8pc expansion in the fourth quarter. Government spending growth slowed to 1.2pc from 4.6pc. Private inventories fell and imports rose, weighing on growth. The core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, which the Federal Reserve closely follows, rose by 3.7pc following 2pc annual growth in the fourth quarter, although consultancy Pantheon Macroeconomics said revisions to the data should pull the index lower in coming months. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to begin cutting its target lending rate in September following sharp increases in 2022 and early 2023 to fight inflation that surged to a high of 9.1pc in June 2022. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Indonesia's Pertamina to complete gasoline unit in Aug
Indonesia's Pertamina to complete gasoline unit in Aug
Singapore, 25 April (Argus) — Indonesian state-controlled refiner Pertamina aims to finish building its new 90,000 b/d residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) in the Balikpapan refinery in August, the firm said. The RFCC is a gasoline production unit, which typically uses residual fuel as a feedstock. The unit will be able to produce propylene, LPG and 92R gasoline that will meet the Euro V specifications, said Pertamina last week, without disclosing further details such as the start-up date. The newly built RFCC unit will be the largest in Indonesia, with the second-largest being the 83,000 b/d RFCC in Balongan and the third-largest the 54,000 b/d RFCC in Cilacap. The new RFCC will also help reduce Indonesia's reliance on gasoline imports. Indonesia currently imports around 9mn-11mn bl/month of gasoline, making it the largest gasoline buyer in the Asia-Pacific. The new RFCC will increase Pertamina's gasoline production by a conservative estimate of 45,000 b/d or 1.3mn bl, or around 10pc of Pertamina's current import demand, according to estimates from an oil analyst. The installation of the new RFCC is part of Pertamina's Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP), which will take place in two phases. The first phase includes revamping existing units at the Balikpapan refinery, such as the crude distillation unit, vacuum distillation unit, and hydrocracking unit. It also involves building new units, such as the aforementioned RFCC, a gasoline hydrotreater, diesel hydrotreater, and naphtha hydrotreater. The second phase includes building a new residue desulphurisation unit. The RDMP also includes expanding the capacity of the Balikpapan refinery from 260,000 b/d to 350,000 b/d, said Pertamina's chief executive officer Nicke Widyawati. The Balikpapan expansion is expected to be completed in May. By Aldric Chew Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
India’s Gail to shut Dabhol LNG terminal for monsoon
India’s Gail to shut Dabhol LNG terminal for monsoon
Mumbai, 25 April (Argus) — Indian state-controlled gas distributor Gail is planning to shut its 5mn t/yr Dabhol LNG terminal on the west coast from 15 May, ahead of monsoon rains. Gail will also stop importing LNG from mid-May at the terminal, a company official told Argus . This is because of the lack of a breakwater facility at the terminal, which prevents it from anchoring ships in turbulent seas. The breakwater facility was expected to be completed in January, but the cause of the delay is unknown. The terminal is likely to resume operations from the end of September, similar to its plans in 2023 , as this shutdown over the monsoon season is routine. Gail is set to receive a total of 139,635t LNG at the Dabhol terminal in May, which will arrive in two separate shipments from the US' 5.75mn t/yr Cove Point export facility. Both cargoes will be the last that the terminal will receive before it shuts in mid-May. It has received 583,326t of LNG at the terminal since the beginning of the year, lower by 4pc on the year, data from market analytics firm Kpler show. The Dabhol terminal only receives about 2.9mn t/yr of LNG, despite having a nameplate capacity of 5mn t/yr, because it is not used during the monsoon season. Gail intends to gradually increase the capacity of the Dabhol terminal to 12mn t/yr by April 2030–March 2031. By Rituparna Ghosh Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Cepsa supplies HVO bunker fuel in Algeciras
Cepsa supplies HVO bunker fuel in Algeciras
London, 24 April (Argus) — Spanish refiner and bunker fuel supplier Cepsa has recently delivered 150t of 100pc hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) by truck to the Ramform Hyperion at the port of Algeciras. The supply follows market participants reporting firmer buying interest for HVO as a marine fuel from ferry lines in the Mediterranean in recent sessions. The supplied HVO is said to be of class II, with used cooking oil (UCO) as the feedstock. Cepsa added that the supply was completed in cooperation with Bunker Holding subsidiary Glander International Bunkering, and could bring about a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction of up to 90pc compared with conventional fuel oil. Cepsa will also look to obtain capability to supply marine biodiesel blends exceeding 25pc biodiesel content by the end of the year, delegates heard at the International Bunker Conference (IBC) 2024 in Norway. This also follows plans by Cepsa to build a 500,000 t/yr HVO plant in Huelva , set to start production in the first half of 2026. Argus assessed the price of class II HVO on a fob Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) basis at an average of $1,765.54/t in April so far, a premium of $906.41/t to marine gasoil (MGO) dob Algeciras prices in the same month. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more